Algarve Guide

I remember being a child and longing for the day when I would move to the capital, Lisbon, where buildings skim the skies, and the river Tejo stretches along the horizon until it meets the sea. Today, I long for the day I return home, to the south of Portugal. Here I am a child again. The peaceful out-of-season Algarve, that I use to abominate, is now my retreat. From my house I see the beach where, as a little girl, I used to just seat and listen to the sound of the waves. My dog has aged but he's still the one who announces my arrival. It's so good to be back! Let me show you around...

The Algarve has almost 200km of coastline, with beaches of all kinds. I always end up visiting the same beaches, however I will try to cover in here tips related to all the different areas of the Algarve.

HOW do i GET TO ALGARVE?

You can fly to Faro or, if you are planning to visit other Portuguese cities like Lisbon, you can also get there by train or bus, the trip will cost around 20€ and you can book your bus ticket here and train here. Or if you come from Porto, for instance, you might want to consider flying to Faro or, if tickets are too expensive, the train is always a good option anyway. The train tickets in Portugal always have a fixed price, they don't fluctuate like they do in the UK.

DO i NEED TO RENT A CAR?

The public transport system is not good, so I would say yes. The Algarve is a huge region and if you are willing to explore it it's well worth renting a car and do some beach hopping.

WHAT IS THE BEST month of the year TO VISIT THE ALGARVE?

During the summer the beaches fill up and prices increase a lot, but if you want to enjoy the nightlife of the Algarve then that's the ideal time to go because there will be a lot of events, parties and concerts happening. However I personally prefer a quieter version of the Algarve. My favorite months to visit are May, June and September.

HOW'S THE weather IN ALGARVE?

Portugal never gets very cold but it still has the four seasons, so from the end of September temperatures begin to fall and towards April / May they start to rise again. However, when I used to live there, I remember going to the beach in December, sometimes when you least expect the sun breaks through the clouds and turns the winter into summer. Even if you don't manage to catch beach weather, the days are usually sunny enough to go hiking on the cliffs, play golf, or embark on a gastronomic trip.

HOW TO ORGANIZE the TRANSFER FROM AIRPORT TO MY FINAL DESTINATION?

As I said, unfortunately, the public transport system is not very efficient. So the best option, I think, is to arrange the transfer directly with the hotel, rent a car or use one of the low cost transfer companies like Yellow Fish.

As the Algarve coast is so long I decided to divide this guide by area. It goes from east to west.

FROM TAVIRA TO FARO:

Beaches:

Cabanas de Tavira - You must get on a boat to get there. There you'll find the hottest water in the Algarve;

Ilha de Tavira - Just like in Cabanas it's also necessary to catch the boat in order to get there\,

Barril Beach;

Green Beach;

Fábrica Beach (near Cacela Velha) - considered one of the best 15 beaches in the world. You also need to get on a boat to get there. You must try the oysters in the restaurant Casa da Igreja (only open during the Summer and Easter from 4:30pm);

Ria Formosa - If you can, spend the night on a boat, it's a very romantic experience, see more here;

Ilha deserta- Also accessible only by boat. The only restaurant on the island is not exactly cheap so perhaps consider bringing a lunch box with food for the day.

Restaurants:

Terra I Mar- tapas and snacks, always has fresh fish;

Toska - Great burgers and vegetarian options;

7imeio - sushi and tapas;

Noelia and Jerónimo - restaurant in Cabanas de Tavira, it´s one of the best ones in the Algarve therefore is always very busy. I advise you to book ahead, it's definitely worth it;

Restaurant Casa do Polvo- It is advisable to go early because it's always packed and they don't accept reservations.

The following pictures were taken on my last visit to the Algarve. On this occasion I had the pleasure to spend the day with Anita at Xiringuito beach. At the end of the day we had a glass of wine at Vila Joya Sea and, from there, we watched the sun dive into the horizon. This is what life is about! / As fotografias que se seguem foram tiradas da última vez que visitei o Algarve. Passei o dia na praia do Xiringuito com a minha amiga Anita e, ao final dia, acabámos por beber um copo de vinho enquanto o sol se punha no mar. São momentos como este que tornam a vida tão especial!

I'm sorry for the overload of sunset pictures. The gallery above has a collection of pictures I have taken over the years, through them you'll get a better idea of how the Algarve looks like. / Peço desculpa pela enchente de fotografias ao pôr-do-sol. A galeria seguinte apresenta uma coleção de fotografias tiradas ao longos dos anos, caso nunca tenhas visitado o sul de Portugal, espero que através delas consigas perceber melhor como se parece o Algarve.